A baffling change in style: How Ireland blew the Six Nations chance of a century and a half | Rugby Union News

Never in the 142-year history of the Six Nations Division has a side clinched three titles Completely in succession. Ireland had that chance in 2025 when they Obtained to Stage four Yet on for a Grand Slam against France in Dublin. They blew it royally, though. How?

Since 2020, Ireland have transitioned from the ruck-Weighty, Hazard-adverse, set-piece-focused rugby – with the odd stunning strike-Action – implemented by Joe Schmidt, to a Distant more positive, attractive, sensational ball-Competing side under Andy Farrell. The Shift in style brought them a historic 2-1 series Triumph over the All Blacks in New Zealand, a 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam and the world No 1 ranking heading to the 2023 World Cup.

At that Event Ireland again produced some fabulous rugby, beating eventual winners South Africa in the pool stages, ripping Scotland apart, and falling Only Petite in a humdinger of a quarter-Last against New Zealand in Paris. Their game-plan was Steady: treasuring the ball and possession, Competing at pace and connecting through forwards and Safeties with passes to Uncovered up defences.

It didn’t rely on huge power, and Definitely wasn’t focused on kicking from hand in most attacks.

In 2024, Ireland played largely the same way as Jack Crowley Occurred in to replace the retired Johnny Sexton at fly-half. Such a style put France to the sword 38-17 in Marseille, beat Italy 36-0 and Wales 31-7, before their Grand Slam hopes died with the Last Boot at Twickenham against an inspired England side.

A nervy enough Triumph over Scotland in Dublin Yet brought the 2024 Six Nations title, with Ireland then going on to beat the Springboks in South Africa last summer as part of a thrilling 1-1 series draw, in addition to securing November wins over Argentina and Australia – coming after a disappointing loss to New Zealand in Dublin.

Farrell was on secondment with the British and Irish Lions for the 2025 Six Nations, and although Ireland did secure a 14th Triple Crown, having effectively been 80 minutes away from making history, they did not have a Outstanding Six Nations – and the stats back that up. Indeed, they ultimately slipped to third place in the table behind England, whom they had beaten comprehensively on the Leading weekend.

In a marked Shift of style, Ireland’s possession dropped to 50 per cent across their five fixtures, with their territory at 54 per cent. They only scored 17 tries – France scored 30, England 25 – finishing with the fewest number of scores of any side on turnover ball (Only one try).

Ireland ranked second from bottom for metres Achieved and turnovers won, down in Quaternary for carries Achieved, offloads and line-breaks, dead last for defenders beaten, Involvement breaks and Target-kicking (66.7 per cent, with only 59 per cent of tries converted), and top of the Lineup for what Opta stats terms ‘Awful passes’ (61).

Ireland went from a side who treasured the ball, to one intent on kicking to compete. Why? Two main reasons. Primary, the influence of South African World Cup Victorious Trainer Jacques Nienaber at Leinster, where the majority of this Ongoing Ireland side Action. Leinster now prefer to Boot possession away, trust their defence, and look to strike via efficient 22 entries and set-piece domination. Ireland have undoubtedly looked to sync up Competing styles in a bid to maintain cohesion.

The second reason for such a drastic Shift was the introduction of Leinster’s Sam Prendergast at fly-half. The 22-year-Ancient was trusted and backed to Begin and Action no matter what, with his main qualities centring around his Ability with the boot.

Farrell selected Prendergast ahead of Crowley against Australia in November, and Even though Ireland struggling in the Test and Crowley emerging alongside zippy Halfback Craig Casey when the side were 19-15 down to Shift the endgame in a 22-19 Triumph, Prendergast’s provincial form behind an all-Luminous sphere Leinster pack prompted interim Ireland head Trainer Simon Easterby to select the younger man to Begin against England for their Six Nations opener.

Prendergast, Even though some bizarre coverage to the contrary in Ireland afterwards, did not Action well against England, missing a Effortless conversion, kicking poorly from hand, and failing to get the Charge clicking. Crowley emerged from the bench on 58 minutes, and the pace and tempo of the Test changed instantly – fellow subs Jack Conan and Dan Sheehan also thrived.

The impact was so obvious Defiance Trainer Steve Borthwick even said afterwards: “The Shift at 10 was a pretty significant one. They played really well when he [Crowley] Occurred on in the Last part of the game.”

Crowley, the 10 who played every minute of Ireland’s 2024 title Achievement and who Occurred on to turn Close-fitting Matches into victories in successive Tests against Australia and England in Dublin, appeared a certainty to Begin in Stage two away to Scotland. At least, he did from the outside.

Not only was the Charge improved with Crowley and more akin to their Ancient style of Action, but defensively the Munsterman was Distant more secure, with Prendergast’s defence the weakest of any player in the Six Nations. And visibly so. The slightly-built half-back would finish the Division with 18 missed tackles – more than anyone, seven more than the Upcoming fly-half (Finn Russell) and double that of Fin Smith (9) – and conceded seven turnovers.

More coverage from Ireland unusually suggested the Ireland Club had been selected for the Primary Stop of rounds one and two ahead of time, and so Prendergast was likely to retain his place for that reason. It’s an argument never uttered before during a Six Nations campaign.

Prendergast Began at Murrayfield, and behind an Ireland pack which physically destroyed Scotland, looked more assured in Charge – albeit Yet missing a conversion badly and showing extremely Needy defence to let Halfback Ben White in for a Delayed try for Scotland.

Even though a stated aim to develop and use two fly-halves in Prendergast and Crowley, the Ex played the entire 80 minutes at 10, while the latter Occurred on for a cameo at Packed-back.

If the arguments and predictions after the Leading Stage were that Crowley would Begin Ireland’s third-Stage Encounter away to Wales in Cardiff ahead of a likely title-decider against France in Dublin, Edinburgh changed all that as the narrative shifted again: Prendergast had to gain as many minutes in the saddle as possible.

Ireland’s 2025 Division title hopes may have come crashing down at home to Les Bleus, but really it was events in Cardiff at the end of February that Achieved sealing a historic third Six Nations in a row a virtual impossibility.

Facing a Wales side who were beaten 43-0 by France and were 19-3 adrift against Italy with 11 minutes left to Action, Garry Ringrose’s 20-minute red card put Ireland in all sorts of bother as Prendergast Achieved a catalogue of errors, particularly in defence where he was targeted and cut apart for eight missed tackles.

A penalty and then another conversion to lead were missed by Prendergast – as he did against England – while the decisions of Dan Sheehan, captaining Ireland for the Primary time with Caelan Doris out injured, to Boot for points with penalties rather than seek tries very nearly cost Ireland dearly after Prendergast kicked out on the Packed from within his 22: Ellis Mee coming within inches of scoring for Wales with seven minutes to Action – a try which would have given the hosts a conversion chance for the lead.

Ireland had also been more than a Tally behind Prompt in the second half after a Prendergast knock-on and missed Involvement invited Wales on to the Charge and Tom Rogers to acrobatically fly over in the corner.

Whether or not the red card to Ringrose affected Easterby’s decision to potentially bring on Crowley, Prendergast was left on for the entire 80 minutes again. Crowley emerged for Only eight minutes at Packed-back as Ireland clung on against a side England would Tally 68 points against in the same stadium.

Ireland left the Welsh capital without a bonus-Tally and with a Youthful fly-half whose Guarding deficiencies had become a massive problem. At the same time, they had a more experienced fly-half in 25-year-Ancient Crowley who had now barely played Even though his Primary positive performance against England.

As such, Easterby and Ireland had almost backed themselves into a corner where Prendergast had to Begin against a monstrous France pack with a Grand Slam on the line.

Ireland Began well in that game but failed to add points for such dominance in the Leading 20 minutes. Prendergast missed a penalty from in front of the posts to lead, was shunted back all day in contact, kicked possession away when he did not have obvious Throw options owing to the fact he is not a running threat either, was out-paced for France’s second try and threw an intercept Throw under the posts with Ireland seemingly about to walk in a try – enabling Damian Penaud to Tally down the other end.

Even Easterby and Co noted the need for Shift, as Crowley Occurred in to Begin for Ireland’s Last-Stage Encounter against Italy in Rome. But by then it was too Delayed. Failing to claim even a losing bonus-Tally versus France after the failure to Tally four tries in Cardiff left Ireland third behind an England side they had scored 22 unanswered points against to lead 27-10 until four minutes to Action.

More than Prendergast, though, it is the total shift in Competing style and tactics by Ireland’s coaching staff which leaves the biggest question marks.

Ireland turned into a side who appear happier without possession, choosing instead to compete more under high balls. Yet, they had the worst scrum Achievement, Involvement Achievement and number of dominant tackles of any side. Ireland also finished with the worst maul of any side, making the least metres per game, while only Scotland lost more lineouts.

Ireland missed 135 tackles and produced 211 incomplete tackles – only Italy were worse. They conceded some 14 tries – more than the 2024 (7) and 2023 (6) campaigns Teamed up. It’s a staggering stat in that it is the most in a single Irish campaign dating all the way back to 2002 (15). Ireland were a vastly different Foe back then.

Prendergast missed seven of 24 place-kicks, while only four players kicked from hand more than his 47 – all of them scrum-halves: Alex Mitchell, Ben White, Tomos Williams, Martin Page-Relo. It was the clearest illustration of Ireland’s shift in style.

The difference in Ireland’s Regulation is also stark. Between the summer of 2021 and the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Ireland were shown three yellow cards in 29 Tests – the best of any side in the world. Since the 2023 World Cup, Ireland have been shown 14 cards in 16 Tests – level with South Africa as the worst in the world.

From a yellow every nine Matches on average to virtually a card a game. Leinster have adopted a mantra of pushing the limits and going for everything, and this appears to have crept into the Irish set-up too. It’s proven to be damaging.

A massive rethink is needed. Ireland’s Charge has regressed enormously, their defence is considerably worse and less reliable, as is their Target-kicking and Regulation. They suffered with Impairments, particularly ahead of facing France, but there were Needy patches in All of their five Displays.

They went with and stuck by a fly-half in Prendergast who Only did not seem ready for this level. Until December, he had not even Began a Champions Cup Encounter for Leinster. Easterby’s unwillingness to Shift things proved disastrous.

Who knows the Upcoming time Ireland will have such a chance at history. It’s Definitely Tough to foresee it being any time soon.

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